And still not there but very nearly done! Completion of the art and text on all pages of the fourth issue of my artist book/comic Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics has nearly reached the finishing line. After that all that will remain is the publishing production process of those pages. This includes the sequential stages of the pages being printed, collated, trimmed, covered and bound. Similar to the preceding three issues the present one has a total of 40 pages plus endpapers and covers. For this issue these covers will feature a wraparound print that includes the title. And being an artist book there will be a limited number of books published, in this case 30. Each book in this first edition will be numbered and signed by the artist.

Planned wraparound cover for Issue #4 (Monoprint-©2011 Dr. Michael Hill)

With some spot colour still to be added plus a few paragraphs of handwriting, a bit of toning touch-up here and there and a little overprinting that might get overlaid I have spread out the pages in a probable sequence on the floor of the studio to get some sense of how the story flows and whether the juxtaposition of the page-spreads works throughout the issue. So there may still be some alterations to the sequencing in the final edit. I try to see a sense of rhythm in the overall progression of pages.

Pages from Issue 4 in layout spread-©2015  Dr. Michael Hill

Pages from Issue 4 in layout spread-©2015 Dr. Michael Hill

UPDATE 6 JULY 2015: COMPLETION OF ISSUE #4!   It took a little longer than expected but now it is done! At last I have crossed the finishing line with completion of production of the fourth issue of my artist book/comic Blotting Paper: The Recollected Graphical Impressions Of Doctor Comics. The pages have been printed, collated, trimmed, bound and covered with title labels. Copies have been mailed to my personal readers. A possible launch is being looked at in Tokyo in October.

Issue 4 copies ready for distribution-photo ©2015 Dr. Michael Hill

Leftover pages and pieces, photo-©2015 Dr. Michael Hill

After running past the planned deadline and a bit over budget I decided to finish up in a D.I.Y mode. This resulted in a somewhat hand-crafted look.

Tabletop work-space pages and tools-photo ©2015 Dr. Michael Hill

Work clothes hung out to dry-photo ©2015 Dr. Michael Hill

Now it’s on to the next and likely final new issue although reprints of previously published chapters remain a possibility. Tentatively titled 2 Tickets to Tokyo Bay Chapter 5 will be set in both Germany and Japan and follow the continued activities of Doctor Comics’ cats and their new canine companion Barks in funny animal style. It will also contain some further comics related recollections from Doctor Comics’ past in particular his dealings with manga and mangaka. Below is the ad for Chapter 5 on the back page of Issue 4.

Teaser for 2 TICKETS TO TOKYO BAY which is the titles of the forthcoming Chapter 5-©2015 Dr. Michael Hill, here listed with the (insert) READING DRINKING Blotting Paper review of Chapter 2 – ©2013 by my American colleague Gene Kannenberg, Jr.